Sanning: It's not time to give up on Pruitt just yet

Tennessee may not be living up to expectations to start 2019, but it's not time to ship Jeremy Pruitt out just yet.

When Jeremy Pruitt was first introduced as Tennessee's head football coach in January 2018, I have to admit I was skeptical. 

It wasn't that I thought he couldn't coach. Quite the opposite, in fact. Unlike this generation, I remember Pruitt before he ever coached on the college stage. 

A revered high school defensive coordinator at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama during the 2000's, a fixture on the hit show "Two-A-Days," The minute I stumbled across the first episode, I knew this guy meant business.

Fast forward to this day and Pruitt has five national championships on his resume as one of college football's premiere defensive minds. He may not have earned them as the leading man, but his fingerprints are all over them.

The Crimson Tide had one of college football's most hellacious and feared defensive units during his tenure and his group didn't fare too poorly during Florida State's run to the BCS National Championship in 2013.

Jimbo Fisher and Nick Saban may receive bulk of the credit, but there's no doubt that had Pruitt not been on either of those staffs, the Crimson Tide and Seminoles would have had a tougher time stopping opponents.

When he took the job at Tennessee, fans were rightfully excited. He was Phillip Fulmer's first hire as Athletics Director. He was handpicked by the man that led UT football to its most recent National Championship. 

Pruitt also had pedigree and after the debacle that was the coaching search led by John Currie, it was indeed a sight for sore eyes.

The skepticism came into play when glancing at the roster. 

A vast majority of the players were recruits brought on by former coach Butch Jones and quite frankly, hardly fit the system that was on its way in.

That reality was magnified at the start of the 2018 season as Tennessee found itself struggling to move the ball and stop opponents. Pruitt wants toughness and physicality.

With all due respect, a large chunk of the roster possessed none of that. 

Jones ran a finesse system that relied largely on smaller players with nimble quickness. As the results show, that isn't exactly a winning formula in the SEC.

It's one of the primary reasons, other than ineptitude, that Jones now finds himself listed as an "intern" on Alabama's coaching staff and has even been spotted washing car windows outside of the team's practice facility. 

Jul 16, 2019; Birmingham, AL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt speaks to the media at the Hyatt Regency-Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Needless to say, Tennessee fans need not panic at this juncture.

The results, while frustrating, are only part of the rebuilding process. A process that, truthfully, is not a simple two-year project.

The Vols have not been truly relevant in over a decade and given the program's long history of storied tradition, relevance is not likely to appear overnight. Not from the doldrums that UT finds itself in.

Will Pruitt be fired if Tennessee fails to make a bowl game for the second consecutive year under his watch? Doubtful. 

If there is one thing Fulmer understands is that football is a marathon, not a sprint. Like any bodybuilder in a gym, results take time and patience. Diet and nutrition, as well as consistency and form, are key.

Instead of loading up on protein, Tennessee has had a heavy dose of carbs. While they may give you energy at times, they ultimately become a hindrance.

Like any fitness journey, mistakes rarely fall completely on the trainer. Vols fans may not be satisfied with the product on the field at this point, but with time and tolerance, the light at the end of the tunnel will begin to shine brighter.

Boasting one of the most loyal fanbases in all of college football, it's understandable that Tennessee fans are becoming impatient and irritated.

The only difference between this coach and the last, however, is that this one knows how to win in the SEC. This one doesn't crave the individual spotlight. 

If Pruitt's 23-minute opening statement at SEC Media Days in July wasn't an indicator, then I don't know what is. 

The point is, for the first time since 2008, Tennessee has a competent coach that knows how to take accountability. His predecessor did not. When the Vols lose, Pruitt blames himself. When they win, he gives all credit to his players.

That's what any parent, fan or ambassador for the game of football would want in a head coach. No matter what happens when third-ranked Georgia comes to town on Saturday or what UT's record is at the end of the season, Fulmer should hang on to Pruitt for the foreseeable future.

It would be a rush to judgment to get rid of him before he truly has been given a chance.